Description
1- Barbara Ehrenreich, in "Serving in Florida," gives us a glimpse of the life of what economists and social commentators call the "working poor." Ehrenreich's text differs from the others we read in that it is a largely a narrative. She gives example after example of people struggling to survive in the world of low-wage employment. What is the point Ehrenreich is trying to make in her chapter? What is her main idea? In which category of employees Reich describes (symbolic analysts, in-person service providers, routine production services providers) do Erhenreich and her co-workers fit? How do you know?
2- What does Cowen mean when he says on page 28 of the reader, "Labor markets are tough, and not always fair, but intelligence will be rewarded for a long time to come." Who is he talking about? What type of intelligence is Cowen discussing? In Reich's classification system, which category of employees (symbolic analysts, in-person service providers, routine production services providers) would be those to whom Cowen might be referring? Why? Use information from our texts to support your opinions.
3- What does Gregory Mantsios mean when he says, on page 56, "When we look at society and try to determine what it is that keeps most people down--what holds them back from realizing their potential as healthy, creative, productive individuals--we find institutional forces that are largely beyond individual control. Class domination is one of these forces.” Members of which classes do you think would hold positions in what Reich calls the employment category of symbolic analyst? In-person service providers? Routine production service providers?
4- What does Reich mean when he says on page 14 of the course reader, "The only true competitive advantage lies in skill in solving, identifying, and brokering new problems?" Which of Reich's three categories of employment (in-person service providers, routine production service providers, symbolic analysts) would include occupations that would be in a position of doing this? In other words, who is it that will identify and solve new problems in business and industry? When you post your comments or responses to others' comments, use information from Reich's article to support your points.
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Explanation & Answer
Attached.
Author Main Argument - Outline
I.
Question one
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How Barbara Ehrenreich illustrates how low-wage employees experience major
life challenges as they try attain their basic needs Question two
II.
Question two
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III.
Question three
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IV.
Analyzing Cowen’s argument about intelligence and rewards in the labor market
Analyzing Mantsios’ argument on class domination
Question four
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Analyzing Reich’s argument on problem solving and competitive advantage.
Surname 1
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Author Main Argument
Question One
Barbara Ehrenreich's main idea in "Serving in Florida" is that low-wage employees should be
considered such that they earn money that can satisfy their basic needs and enable them to
live comfortably because they work quite hard. The author also encourages the low-wage
workers to push for their wages to be increased according to the output. Ehrenreich
understands the struggles of these workers because she went undercover to work as a lowwage waitress. Her illustrations indicate work pressure, yet her colleagues in the waitress job
are living in the worst conditions (Ehrenreich, 24). The author argues that low-wage
employees are oppressed because they lack motivation in their particular jobs because they
are exhausted and stressed by their inability to have adequate basic needs. According to
Ehrenreich, low-wage jobs are more challenging and demanding than those which allow
workers to experience comfort (Ehrenreich, 25).
Ehrenreich and her co-workers fit in the in-person service category from the three
work categories described by Reich (Reich 174). They belong to this category because of
their direct interaction with consumers, thereby contributing to the development of the hotel
or restaurant enterprise because of the excellent first impression they give clients.
Consequently, the hotel or restaurant business achieves a high level of customer retention. In
Ehrenreich argument, one realizes that it is quite unfair that these workers have low wages,
Surname 2
yet they are essential in the enhancement of the reputation of the business. In essence, they
should not accept to work so hard and still live uncomfortably. According to Ehrenreich,
workers in the in-person services category add value to an enterprise because they interact
directly with the customers and provide remarkable customer service.
Question Two
By saying "Labor markets are tough, and not always fair, but intelligence will be rewarded
for a long time to come" on page 28 of the reader, Cowen means that intelligence gives a
worker or a potential worker uniqueness such that he or she can stand out in the competitive
labor markets. Therefore, he or she becomes a value-adding employee that a business or
organization cannot afford to lose. Intelligence leads to innovation which sets individuals
apart such that their efforts in the labor markets give them a competitive advantage (Cowen
28). Competitive markets need new ideas continually, and the workers who generate them
have more to offer than talents and skills. The labor market is quite competitive because
many people are endowed with talents and skills, so there is a need for breaking the
complacency.
In today's world, business leaders are only interested in placing their entities at the
forefront so they can be sustainable in the future. Thus, Cowen's type of intelligence is the
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